The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-09-10
Rural England.

Twelve miles out Of London on til
North Kent Loop-line branch of the South
eastern railway, lies town which, to avoic
personalities, we will designate as Eldon
Its inhabitants are largely of the class DIES
cribed as ''plain bourgeoisie, being mostlj
London men of business. The houses are
built of brick and are mostly of dingy
cream color. Their architecture is severely
simple. No "gaudy abodes" offend the
eye. The windows are guiltless of outside
blinds, and therefore no contrasting color
mars the universal cream. Inside, the
inevitable Venetian blind appears, clumsy
and ugly, and below it the equally inevita-
Bile half-curtain of lace or muslin.
The upper windows are graced by the
white pine back of dressing case, which,
for some reasons known only to the British
mind, is always placed there. The only re-
deeming features of these houses is the pro-
fusion of flowers by which they are sur
rounded. Well is Kent called the garden
of England, for surely nowhere else abounds
such wealth of verdure and color. Flowers
which in America can be obtained only by
careful culture there grow wild on every
hand.
From the front doorway of each house
neatly kept walk extends to the gate.
bordered on either side by a strip of velvety
lawn broken by circular beds of flowers.
the whole inclosed by the regulation haw-
thorn hedge. In front of this hedge, be-
tween it and the pavement, as an English
sidewalk is called, stand APPALLING or fence
of rough, implanted boards worm-eaten,
wheather-beaten, and decayed-such as an
American mechanic would blush to see in
closing his back yard, but in no way incon-
gruous to the taste of London business
man.
Having for several weeks enjoyed the
privilege of obtaining aboard and residence"
in one of these Eldon houses, we became
tolerably familiar with the inhabitants and
their mode of living. As regards conve-
niences in the way of doing the necessary
work ola house, England,,is still in the dark
ages. The worst thing perhaps, is the
kitchener" sort of range, which my
American housekeper would annihilate after
one trial. 1t is made of iron and built
into the shallow fireplace, from which it
does net project at all. A tiny frebox,
VIA ia open crate in front that cannot be ,
closed sends out an intense heat over !
space about foot square, and diffuses
mild warmth over the rest The hot water ]
tank is square box inside the kitchener on
the left of the irebox, and the other occu- A
pies similar position on the right a
There are nS pipes to convey the water !,
Tn othar 1ark IF tba Al
means of obtaining it being through I
faucet projecting from the front of the II
kitchener. The latter is provided with q
several lids, but the one over the frebox s
s the only one where sufficient heat to b
'oil water can be had. ia
There are no screens for doors or win a. a.
lows. Flies, wasps and earwigs have free as
ccess The latter are an uncomfortable an
est. They are everywhere in countless OF
nyriads. Before dressing in the morning
is necessary to carefully inspect each -
rticle Of clothing or run the risk of several r
harp nips from the carvings formidable Il
'rceps. The regular English breakfast
insists of tea, bacon, fish, cake and mar.
lalade
Lunch is nondescript sort of meal and
ot so often heard of as the fashionable 5
clock tea. Tea in England is the univer-
! panacea for all evils, from the loss
ones appetite to that of ones best
loved. 1t is offered everywhere with ia
useating frequency and persistence. To
fuse it is as disgraceful as not to belong
the established church.
AT o'clock in all well regulated fam O.,
Is it is dispensed by the mistress of the ''P'
use, accompanied by thin slices of
lad and butter. Rich looking fruit cake All
"kike," as the English call it, is also AL
cred and we admired j. ankil we "
ted it and dis